Schumacher shoots hattrick

Saturday’s hat-trick hero Steven Schumacher admits he never expected to hear those words next to his name.

The midfielder scored two penalties either side of a stunning, 30-yard strike in the 4-1 win over Newport at Highbury, earning him both the Man of the Match award and the match ball.

And Schumacher says he would never have predicted the outcome on a wet and windy afternoon in Fleetwood.

“It sounds great, I never thought I’d hear somebody say I had just scored a hat-trick,” he said.

“I’ve waited a long time to get on the score sheet for Fleetwood, and I’m lucky that I managed to get on the penalty after four minutes to get us off the mark. Scoring the other two goals later made it a good day all around.”

The former Bury captain dispatched both penalties with confidence in either half, the first a powerful smash into the top left corner before a more measured second into the lower left.

But the 29-year-old was worried Exiles goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley might second-guess him – after playing against the keeper as a youngster.

“I’ve known the goalkeeper since I was a kid, I used to play in a team with him years ago and he knows what I like to do,” said Schumacher.

“I was a bit worried at first but I managed to hit both penalties really well and give him little chance of stopping them.”

And with the second goal coming in spectacular fashion, Schumacher puts it up there with some of his best.

“It’s up there with the best I’ve scored, although I only score good goals!” he added.